Improvement in railway-switches



C. W. JONES.` Railway-Switches.

Patented Feb. 24.1874.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. JONES, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF HIS RIGHT 'lO ABRAHAM REX, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT I RAILWAVSWITCHES.

Specilic'ation forming part of Letters Patent No. 147,774, dated February 24, 1874 application filed May 26, 1873. i

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLEs W. JoNEs, of the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railroad-Switches 54 and I do hereby declare the following to be a clear and exact description of the nature thereof sufficient to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to fully understand, make, and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings making part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a top or plan view of the device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section in line x fr, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a transverse section in line y y, Fig. l. Fig. 4is a view of detached parts.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to self-operating switches, wherein two levers, by means of intermediate mechanism, communicate motion to the movable pieces of the switch, so that, as the flange of thecar-wheel strikesone of the levers, either on the main or side track, it properly operates the switch before the wheel reaches the movable pieces. The invention consists in so constructing the operating-levers that they shall act as braces for the movable pieces of the switches, and cover the ends thereof. It further consists in the combination of flanges on said operating-levers with the movable pieces of the switches, in the manner and for the purpose hereinafter particularly described.

Referring to the drawings, A A' represent the main track, and B B' the sidingtrack, which parts may be of ordinary form and construction. C and D represent the movable pieces' or points of the switch for shifting to and from the main track. One of these pieces is attached to one of the siding-tracks, and the other piece isattached to one of the main tracks. The attachment of said pieces to the respective tracks is by means of solid plates E E, which are sufficiently elastic to act as hinges, and whose ends are connected to the stationary and movable portions, so that there are no `joints in the plates at the joints of the stationary and movable portions, whereby the joints of the latter, being covered or broken by the plates, are greatly strengthened, and able to withstand the great strain broughtnpon them. A ange, a, projects from the bottom of each of the points or movable portions O D of the switch; and, owing to the weakness of such portions, due to their tapering4 or pointed form, the ilanges act as braces, and serve to brace and strengthen the portions O D, without, however, interfering with the free movements of the said portions, or interference of the wheels of the cars. Between one of the siding-tracks and one of the main tracks I arrange two levers, F G, which extend longitudinally, and are hinged at one end, :c to a crossbar or tie beyond the switch-pieces C D, and the other ends are curved inwardly,or toward each other, which curved ends are so located that the lever F may come near to the track A', and the lever G near to the track B. To the curved ends of the levers, and beneath the same, is jointed a transverse sliding bar, H, and to this bar is attached one end of a lever, J, which is connected eccentrically to the end of arockshaft, K, which extends laterally, and is mounted outside of the tracks, and to the other end of this shaftis similarly connected another lever, J, which is jointed to a transverse sliding bar, H', which passes under the hinged 'ends of the levers F Gr, and is attached to the movable portions or points of the switch. The levers J J are eccentrically attached to the rock-shaft, as has been stated, but at different points, so that when the shaft is rotate-dV one lever is pushed in, away from the shaft, and

the other lever :is drawn toward the same. The

outer faces of the levers F G are cut away at the ends near the movable portions of the switch, so as to leave flanges b b, so that when said movable portions are in position against thev levers and under the anges thereof, the points of the movable portions are not exposed, and the levers act as braces, as will be afterward set forth.

If the main track is left open, and the cars are coming in the direction toward the hinged ends :v of the levers F G, the flange of the first wheel on the left-hand side of the car strikes the lever F and enters between said lever and the track A', thus shifting the lever to the right, and with it the cross-bar ll and the other lever, G. This immediately turns the rock-shaft K, and thereby moves the cross-bar H to the left, and with it the shifting-pieces C D of the track, which properly closes the switch, the latter operation occurring` before the wheels reach the said shifting-pieces. The

switch-piece C has come to a bearing` against the lever` G, and is braced thereby, and the main track is now cleared for the passage of the cars.

Should there beany disposition oi' the wheel s to move toward the piece C near its point, it cannot run over the latter, as the flange ofthe lever G covers it, and likewise serves to brace it in case the wheels press against it. Should, now, the cars be coming down the side track, the right flange of the wheel on track B first strikes the lever G and moves it to the left, and, by means of the intermediate mechanism, the shifting-pieces C D are moved to the right,

and thus the switch is properly closed for the cars over the side track, the advantages of which are the same as has been stated in the other case. The switch-piece D is now pro tected and braced by the lever F in a manner similar to the piece C by the lever G.

Then the cars are coming up either on the main or side track, the ends or points of the switelipieces, respectively, are fully covered by the levers F G, so that the wheels can in nowise touch said ends or points, and thereby displace them, and whichever point is against the lever will be braced thereagainst, the advantages of which are the same as when the cars are running` down track.

Then the levers operate the movable pieces the movements of the latter occur before the weight or even the wheels of the car reach the movable pieces, whereby there can be no binding` of those parts, and thus the switch operates reliably at all times.

The rock-shaft affords means for operating the switch by hand, for purposes of the up train.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The levers F G, extended beyond. the movable switch-pieces C D, and constituting bracestherefor, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

2. The llanges b b of the levers F G, in combination with the movable pieces C D, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

The above signed by me this 13th day of March, 1873.

`Vitnesses: CHAS. TV. JONES.

JOHN A. VIEDERsHEIM, MILLARD F. WALTON. 

